Been riding around the Portes du Soliel (Chatel, Morgins, Morzine) area's for years on all sorts of DH bike, AM bikes, XC bikes and never been too phased by it all. A small group have invited me next week to join them for a few days of guided riding in Les Arcs and have said that it is a different world compared to where I have been riding for the last 10 years or so. I've been riding for 20 years or so but they keep telling me it's like nothing I've ever ridden before and it's starting to weird me out a bit. They have even insisted that I switch back to flats!
How different is the riding out there compared to anything else I've ridden.
If you're going guided then I'm sure you can find some videos with those guides?
Which company are you going with?
I don't know who it's with to be honest, didn't pay much attention as I was pretty confident till they didn't start going on about it.
I'm heading there in two weeks, form the vids I've seen its slower and more technical with some exposed trails. You sound similar to me in riding experience and i'm not worried. It's a holiday, it's meant to be fun 🙂
😀
It is the polar opposite of the PDS, loads of quiet, natural trails that go on forever.
The switch to flats thing is total balls though, just stick with whatever you like. Practise tight switchbacks though 😉
Cool, I like the quieter area's of PDS and the video makes it look a doddle. I like the idea of slower endless trails as balls out everywhere gets a bit tiresome, nice to have a look about every now and then.
Only spent a week in the Les Arcs area last year, but very keen to get back. Huge trail network, loads of lifts, great variety of trails.
It does have a bit of everything, but if there's a general vibe then it's flowy technical singletrack, not massively steep.
Spent two weeks in Les Arcs last month and didn't get bored.
Above the tree line - mixture of man-made swoopy trails and natural rocky footpaths.
Below the tree line - miles and miles of twisty, rooty, pine-needly, steep, not-steep, deserted singletracky heaven.
It's a bit like the Hope/Shimano debate.
There's a lot of bullshit talked about the classic old places being the best, but an increasing number of people are seeing the light and breaking away from the Brits abroad fest that is Morzine/Les Gets.
Off to Les Arcs tomorrow, whoop! 🙂
Is it completely lift assisted or do you need to do much pedalling to access the trails?
It's sweeeeet! And if anything I'd stick with spds because (a) you're used to them and will end up apple coring your shins and (b) because there are fewer lifts over there and you'll be glad of them on the uphills! Enjoy- well jealous!
EDIT nickjb- not completely lift assisted at all
It can be completely lift assisted if that's how you roll.
...but I'd take a 160mm bike if I had the choice. Plenty of pedalling on some of the best trails I rode.
Everything available, [url=
Vid Selection from the whole area[/url] Much more singletrack natural stuff. Less people. A lot less c*cks too. We only did 2/3 days in Les Arcs there is a huge amount round there.
As for "swapping to flats" why bother. Ride what you ride, only an issue if your crap on a bike otherwise you can keep your feet on the pedals - where they are meant to be.
On difficulty level a mate who guided in the alps used to tell people if you thin this is hard you should see the Lakes 😉
Off in two weeks but rode 20+ other places in the alps and all i will say is that once you have experienced what else is on offer you wont want to go back to the PDS.
The main differences between the PDS and everywhere else:
No queus at lifts
Quiet trails
No braking bumps
less annoying twa%s
Trails which still have features left in them
and the further south you head the better the weather gets
Im currently spoffing over the 60km guided route were doing with 45km of descent on back country singletrack from the Col D'iseran to Bourg Sainte Maurice! You dont get that in the PDS
On difficulty level a mate who guided in the alps used to tell people if you thin this is hard you should see the Lakes
I was up in the Lakes a couple of weeks ago, riding Fleetwith Pike and around Honister.
Reminded me a bit of La Varda - but tougher!
I've ridden Honister, Borrowdale and various others many times and like the techy old school trails we used to ride pre trail centers. I'm taking an SB66 with 36's upfront. I did order a pair of 510's with the spd plate so if i don't like riding flats again (been a good 10 years) then i'll just attach my spds and fit the cleats.
I tend to go back time and time again to PDS as I know people who live in Chatel but if it's as good in Les Arcs as you say then they'll have to come and stay with me next year.
Just spent a week in Les Arcs with Trail Addiction. It was superb, especially the Backcountry day ending with a train ride back from Albertville. Lots of steep switchbacks, tecky, flowy singletrack. I took a Remedy with 160 up front and it was perfect. 100 times better than Morzine/Les Gets & will definetly be going back next year. I went clipped in, had a few moments on the steep rocky stuff in the first few days, but soon got my ego back in line with my ability levels after a few days. great place to ride, hope it doesn't turn in to the new "Morzine" though 😀 p.s. take knee And elbow pads and wear them. I went full face most days and took my trail lid with me for pedalling!
mates of mine who are hardcore Whistler/ Morzine fans have just got back from a week in Les Arcs and said some of the endless singletrack trails are the best that they have ever ridden.
nothing jumpy whatsoever but some really technical brakes off, hold on trails with a hideous number of tight and loose switchbacks.
tight and loose
Hell yeah!
I was up in the Lakes a couple of weeks ago, riding Fleetwith Pike and around Honister.Reminded me a bit of La Varda - but tougher!
You should try the hard stuff!
Probably to much derision I though La Varda was OK, nowt that special. Col d'isran/tignes and Col d' Petit st bernard were better
@RV I'm amazed you haven't tried some of the other destinations before. By far our best day in PDS this year was the Les Gets/Bourguoise/Samoens route we got from here on STW.
nothing jumpy whatsoever
Not sure where they were riding as the most obvious trail in the place (Cachettes DH track) is covered in jumps
they said it was pants
It's not awesome but it's better than the majority of jump trails that I've ridden
Can't comment on how good it is, not got anything to compare it to, but we had no rain for two weeks and by the end of the trip the DH track was noticeably battered!
Setting off tomorrow for the 3rd year in a row staying with The Mountain Bike Chalet , awesome guys/girls . Personally i prefer it to the llandegla esk PDS , not as Dh orientated more natural footpath type trails and yes switchback heaven .
Setting off tomorrow
With me 🙂
Setting off tomorrow
With me
+ a few more , jeez I cant wait
I did order a pair of 510's with the spd plate so if i don't like riding flats again (been a good 10 years) then i'll just attach my spds and fit the cleats.
Just fit the SPD's especially if you have a proper platform pedal. I Have no idea why people keep thinking that when you go somewhere new the best thing to do is change one of the fundermental parts on your bike. I really wouldn't fancy trying to readjust to flats on some of those trails. Hit the ground running! (not literally)
Cachettes is a bit pants, ok for a play but not what the riding is about up there.
If you have a bit more time and transport have a look at St Foy & La Thuile (in my previous vid selection) great trails with even less people 🙂
A little vid of just some of the trails we rode in 2 weeks of riding in Les Arcs (with visits to La Rosiere and Tignes).
38km of vertical descending; cannot wait to get back.